April 2, 1999

HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Albert Brinkman.

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In the sales business, the trick is to attract the customers. The product is usually readily available. It’s a different story in real estate these days. The buyers are aplenty. It’s the homes that are hard to come by. Last week, John Klopfenstein of Curtiss & Crandon listed a home in the $290,000 price range. The following day, 10 agents had already shown the house and three offers were made. … Thanks to a healthy economy, low interest rates and the liberal loan policies of banks, everyone seems to be in the hunt for a home these days. And forget about trying to buy a home between the $230,000 and $270,000 range. There simply are none. The fact is, people are reluctant to sell their homes for fear they may not find one to buy. Also, developers are forced to build larger homes because of the high cost of land, agents say. It is also more cost effective to build larger homes, and since there is a demand for luxury homes, the developers are happy to oblige.

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Police Commission members Wednesday night met in closed session to formulate a job performance evaluation of Police Chief James E. Lysaght, Jr. In the chief’s last job evaluation last September, commission members wrote that unless the chief’s job performance improves to a satisfactory level and unless he meets the goals he has agreed to with the Police Commission, the commission believes it will have just cause to fire him. Last fall, commission members said they would again evaluate the chief this spring to gauge how well he has met job performance goals. Police Commission Chairman James Reilly said the commission plans to act on the evaluation at its April 6 meeting and present the document to the chief.

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A failing septic system at Sandy Hook School on Dickinson Drive has prompted town officials to plan a sewer line extension to connect the building to the municipal sewer system. Town Public Works Director Fred Hurley said Wednesday a sewer line about 1,000 feet long will be used to connect the school to Washington Avenue via Crestwood Drive.

Initial town sewering plans had included providing the school with sewer service, but cost constraints scaled back the size of the town sewer system, meaning the school was excluded from sewer service, Mr Hurley said. The town sewer system started operation in September 1997.

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LAKE ORION, MICHIGAN — The 1998-99 wrestling season began with Amanda Morici hoping for a spot on the Newtown High School varsity team. It ended with her being named an All-American. Amanda earned that All-American status by finishing seventh in the 136-pound weight division at the US Girls High School Wrestling Nationals in Lake Orion, Michigan, last weekend. She was 6-2 for the weekend. Amanda, who finished second in the Northeast Girls’ Wrestling Tournament a couple weeks ago, was seeded 7th at the Nationals. She wrestled five matches on Saturday, the first day of competition, and won four of them. She lost the first, but came back by winning those next four matches, though — three of them by pins. At that point, All-American status for the Newtown wrestler was all but assured heading into Sunday competition.

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Sebastian sat quietly in his pen this week, contentedly munching dark green grass and orange carrots, bathed in the warm yellow light of a springtime sun shining brightly in the blue western sky. A fallow deer who’s also known as Whitey, Sebastian is now living peacefully on an estate in Sandy Hook. All his needs are being addressed and fulfilled — food, shelter and health care. … The cream-colored deer, which apparently had been domesticated by someone, became separated from its unknown owner late last year and began to roam the New Milford countryside, having many encounters with the residents there. Being a friendly deer, Sebastian tended to approach people when he wanted food. But his encounters with humans proved problematic in a couple of cases. When Scott Mas heard talk that Sebastian may have to be destroyed to protect the public, he volunteered to provide the deer with a new home at Les Vents, a Mediterranean-style estate in Sandy Hook where he and Dr Donald Evans reside. Mr Mas, a gamekeeper … called New Milford’s animal control officer to make arrangements to have the deer transported to Sandy Hook last week from temporary quarters in Stamford where it was being held for its own safety.

March 29, 1974

During the past two weeks the fire whistles have been sounding throughout town at a frequency which is alarming. A few of the calls into the switchboard were actually for fires, but a great many of them were for false alarms or bomb threats. These calls are ones which cost the taxpayer money and also present a danger. The Board of Fire Commissioners told The Bee that last year it cost the town $311.75 every time the fire bell was hit and the equipment had to roll. This year, because of higher fuel and oil costs, the figure would be an even higher one. Figured into the cost of each run are trucks, man hours, gas, and maintenance of firehouses.

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In the fall of 1970, with the opening of the new high school, double sessions for Newtown school children came to an end. Now, four years later it looks as though double sessions will begin again, at least for students in grades 5-8. The Board of Education met on Tuesday evening, March 26, and taking up most of the discussion was what to do to meet Middle School space needs. Upon request of the Board, Superintendent of Schools Dr Albert Brinkman outlined suggestions of how to solve the problem of handling 1,500 students in a school with a state rated capacity of 1,340 and a space rated capacity of 1,390 (including present portable classrooms).

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The Commission on Aging heard reports on the progress of three developing projects for the elderly: Meals on Wheels, Housing for the Elderly, and the free elderly nutrition program. Stanley Main, administrator of Buckingham Gardens Convalescent Home, told the Commission that Newtown Housing for the Elderly Inc was looking at possible sites for low income housing to be financed by low interest FHA loans. A site has to be selected, he said, before the application for the loan can be submitted. Mr Main emphasized that he has to move fast since the loan will be available only for another six to eight weeks. NHE in general and Arthur Scherer in particular are looking at several sites around town, one of them in the Borough.

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Janet Holmes of Newtown has been inducted into the Epsilon Mu chapter of Kappa Delta Pi. This is an honor society in education at Central Connecticut State College in New Britain. Initiation will take place Sunday, March 31. Kappa Delta Pi is a national organization. Qualification for membership at each member college is based on excellence in academic achievement. The society is open to juniors and seniors in the upper quintile of their class.

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UNDEFEATED CHAMPIONS: One team was just about unstoppable this year as they breezed to the Senior Recreation Basketball League championship with an undefeated record of ten wins and no losses. Visiting The Bee office this week were team members Jim Crick, Don Misiura, Cliff Ingham, Scot Stanton, Kevin Sullivan and Joe Fico. Rear, Rick Warner, Brian Dudeck, Jim Geis, Gary Behrman, Ben Warner and Coach Cliff Ingham.

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The Sixty-Plus Club of Newtown met on Wednesday, March 20, at 1 pm in the Undercroft of Trinity Church. A delicious dinner was prepared and served by the hospitality group, Mrs Ina Iwertz, Mr and Mrs Max Flatten and Mrs Esther Dietrichson. Mr and Mrs Flatten created a beautifully decorated cake for the occasion. It was a work of art. The dinner was in honor of Miss Hilda Germain and her sister, Miss Ethel, who are moving from Newtown. They have been members for many years and have worked diligently on many committees. They certainly will be missed. They received as gifts, colorful lap robes made by the knitting group. The dinner also commemorated the 10th anniversary of the inception of The Sixty-Plus Club. Nick Peterson spoke on the history and activities of the club. Approximately 100 members attended.

March 25, 1949

The Newtown Rotary Club celebrated its 10th anniversary on Monday night at the Parker House. Previously scheduled for February 28th, the meeting was postponed because of the snow storm on that date. At the dinner meeting attended by 80 members and their wives, Rotarian Dr James H. Halsey, president of the University of Bridgeport, addressed the group on the topic of “Private Enterprise in Higher Education.” Howell Wright, president, presided over the meeting attended by a large number of out-of-town guests. Members of the Bridgeport Rotary Club, sponsors of the Newtown club and charter members of the club were present, including Rep George M. Stuart, first president of the local Rotarians and Frank Rowan, president of Bridgeport Rotary.

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Fewer than 40 taxpayers and voters set Newtown’s tax rate at 31½ mills in less than two minutes elapsed time at last Thursday night’s adjourned session of the annual town meeting. Judge Paul V. Cavanaugh, as chairman, called the meeting to order. H.H. Cutler, chairman of the Board of Finance, moved that a tax rate of 31½ mills, as recommended by the Board of Finance, be levied on the Grand List of 1948 to cover the expenses of the town for the fiscal year 1948-49. Walter Glover, member of the Finance Board, seconded the motion. There were no questions or comments. The motion was passed and the meeting adjourned.

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Having spent the past several months at Fredericksted on the island of St Croix in the Virgin Islands, Mr and Mrs Rea Irvin of Taunton returned to their home this week. They report having had a wonderful time and came away impressed not only with the climate of America’s Caribbean possession but with living conditions generally.

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The many friends of Mrs John Flanagan sympathize with her in the death of her husband, John Flanagan, which occurred on March 17, after a prolonged illness.

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Miss Betty Ann Seman, daughter of Mr and Mrs William Seman of Walnut Tree Hill district, a student of Blackstone College for Girls, Blackstone, Virginia, has been chosen as a Princess in the Queen’s Court for the annual May Day ceremony. This ceremony is one of the outstanding events of the college, and the setting this year will be entirely “Old English style.”

March 21, 1924

Miss Dorothy Wheale, Americanization Secretary of The Connecticut Temperance Union, was the speaker at The Women’s Missionary Society of the Congregational church on Wednesday afternoon. A very large gathering greeted Miss Wheale. Miss Walter Reynolds rendered the vocal solo, “Just Like Love Is the Rose.” Mrs Hazel Northrop read Robert Burns’ “A Man’s a Man for a’ That.” Several women took part in the patriotic program. Miss Wheale said in part, “There is need for all women taking an active part in strengthening the principle of law enforcement in all our communities.” She sketched the history of the prohibition movement from the days of Lyman Beecher in the Litchfield hills of Connecticut and the crusade of the women at Hillsboro, Ohio.

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One of the largest attended meetings of the Fairfield County Jewish Farmers’ Association of Newtown, Stepney and Botsford, was held last Sunday, the 16th, at the residence of Mr and Mrs Max Schimmelman in Huntingtown district, when several prominent speakers were present and addressed members. The meeting was held in conjunction with the celebration of the “Bar-Mitzve” of Isidore Schimmelman, son of Mr and Mrs Max Schimmelman, who was banqueted on his thirteenth birthday and responded eloquently with a speech of appreciation to his many friends.

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The Men’s Club held a pleasant session, Tuesday night, at the Parker house, with John C. Beers as host. W.N. Mitchell was in charge of the literary program. After an excellent dinner served by Mine Host Parker, O.S. Stoddard, principal of the Hawley school, was introduced and gave a very interesting and practical address. Walter Glover and Raymond Hall were guests of the club. Rev J.L. Lasher presented his resignation as president of the club, which was accepted with regret.

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John W. Masury & Sons’ paints, varnish, floor stains, floor varnishes, furniture varnishes, Masury’s Railroad white, Masury’s Perfection flat white, Masury’s Super X enamel, barrel Sun Light.—[H.G. Warner & Co.Adv.

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Butter 57c, cheese 35c, Swift’s shoulders 15c, bacon 31c, salt pork 25c, onions 5c a lb, Uban coffee 43c, Autocrat coffee 39c, Ceylon tea 49c, Hershey’s cocoa two cans for 25c, Gorton’s codfish one pound bricks 25c. At Davey’s.—[Adv.

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Mr and Mrs Joseph Keane of New York City have been spending a few days with Mr and Mrs Thomas C. Keane of Dayton street.

March 31, 1899

The trustees of the Newtown Savings bank have declared a semi-annual dividend of two per cent, which is at the rate of four per cent per annum, for the six months ending March 31, 1899.

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Mr and Mrs W. A. Maynard have returned to their farm in Taunton district from Wilton, where they have been the last year.

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If you should wish to know anything about the potato question, either raising or keeping of them, some day when you meet that genial gentleman of Hopewell district, Theron E. Platt, ask him about it. He can give you all the points. He has a cellar built purposely for the keeping of them, and if you want any seed, this spring, notice his “ad.”

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The collection in the Sunday school, April 2, is the special monthly missionary collection which goes toward the work of Rey R. A. Rowley, worker in Oregon under the Congregational Sunday school and Publishing Society.

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H. P. Boyson has bought out the livery business of J. H. Costello at the Newtown Inn stables, taking possession last Friday. The business will be conducted under the name of H. P. Boyson & Sons. Mr Boyson is one of Newtown’s successful farmers, and he will doubtless make a success of the livery business.

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to let us know when you will be visiting.